


Attention

by oceleagle



Series: The Mythical ABCs [1]
Category: Rhett & Link
Genre: Adorable, Best Friends, Childhood Friends, Cute, Fluff, Friendship, Jealous Link, Link Wants Attention, M/M, Middle School, Mythical ABCs, Precious, Sweet, soft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-21
Updated: 2019-02-21
Packaged: 2019-11-01 14:32:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 802
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17869046
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oceleagle/pseuds/oceleagle
Summary: Link gets jealous when Rhett gets his first girlfriend.





	Attention

       Things have been changing lately. Things Link isn't sure he likes. Of course middle school is different; he shouldn't have expected anything less. That fact doesn't stop him from wanting to go back to the days of summer when he and Rhett could spend every waking moment together. Now there are other things to focus on - classes, peers, homework, and more. And when Rhett announces Leslie as his girlfriend, Link's world shifts even more in what he feels is the wrong direction. A bit of jealousy is normal, right? It's okay that he feels a bit neglected when Rhett starts spending some of _their_ time with Leslie?

 

       It's Friday afternoon in the cafeteria. Pizza day. A day Link loves. Friday afternoons are known for their freedom. The boys are always together on the weekends, a tradition of sorts since they'd become so close. His mind is formulating all kinds of adventurous plans for them as he scoops some of his corn onto Rhett's tray.

 

 **"Wha'd'ya wanna do this weekend, bo?"** Link barely gets the words out before shoving a questionably-sized bite of pizza into his mouth.

 

       Rhett doesn't even finish chewing before answering, **"I'm havin' supper at Leslie's tonight."** He swallows. **"An' tomorrow we're goin' to the zoo with her family."**

 

       Link tries to keep the disappointment from showing on his face. **"Awesome!"** He replies a little too enthusiastically, clearly overcompensating for the sting he feels at being left behind. As his cheeks flush bright red, his head bows to make an attempt at hiding it.

 

       This time a little more calm and contained, **"I- I mean... I hope you have fun..."**

 

       An eyebrow is raised in question as Rhett waits patiently for his friend to meet his gaze. And when it happens, those big, blue, innocent eyes cause a tiny flutter in his stomach.

 

**“You okay, buddy?”**

 

       The dark-haired boy puts on what he hopes to be a convincing smile and nods. **“I’m good.”**

 

       The rest of lunch is spent in a somewhat awkward silence. Rhett can tell something is bothering Link by the way the boy keeps averting his eyes. The fact that he barely touches the rest of his meal is even further proof. Rhett just can’t quite put his finger on it.

 

       Later that evening, Link is home, alone in his bedroom. He’s tossing and turning wishing Rhett were there to talk him to sleep. He wonders how the meal with Leslie’s family went; wonders if Rhett misses him, or if he’s even thought about him at all tonight.

 

_What if forgets about me?_

 

       His poor heart aches to think that he could easily be replaced. He’s on the verge of tears when his mom peeks her head in the door.

 

**“Link, honey, are you still awake?”**

 

       The boy raises his head up and nods at her, figuring he probably forgot to finish one of his chores or something of the sort.

 

**“Rhett’s on the phone if you wanna talk to him.”**

 

       Link tosses the covers off his small frame so quickly they almost fly off his bed completely, face lighting up with childlike excitement.

 

       He rushes to the kitchen, leaving his mother to shake her head and laugh lightly at his movements. He presses the receiver to his ear.

 

**“Hello?”**

 

 **“Hey, bo!”** Comes the reply from his best friend.

 

**“How was supper?”**

 

**“It was good, but I was really nervous, so I didn’t talk much, but her parents are really nice, and we kind of held hands!”**

 

       It’s a run-on sentence if there ever were one, and Link can’t help but giggle at the other boy’s exuberance.

 

 **“I’m glad it went good, Rhett.”** He says softly, mind wandering to what it might be like to hold his friend’s hand. **“I hope you have fun at the zoo tomorrow too.”**

 

**“Oh, I’m not going.”**

 

 **“What? Why?”** Link doesn’t mean for his voice to come out as squeaky as it does, but it’s too late to force the words back into his mouth.

 

**“I’d rather hang out with you, man. I can look at dumb animals anytime, but tomorrow’s gonna be the perfect day to go down to the river. I don’t wanna miss that!”**

 

       The boy’s reply sends his heart soaring. Rhett would rather spend time with him? He wants to go to the river? Their place?

 

       He isn’t sure of the sound he makes in return - a cross between a squeal of excitement and a hum of satisfaction. Perhaps he won’t be replaced after all.

 

       Both boys dive headfirst into planning their tomorrow, neither one aware of how unusual their codependency is. And neither one would truly care if they knew.

 

       All Link knows for sure is at the end of every day, he craves the attention of a certain blonde-headed boy he met in first grade.

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first of a series of fics. I am getting one-word prompts from my tumblr friends for these. There will be one for each letter of the alphabet. I call them The Mythical ABCs.
> 
> Prompt give to me by my friend, Michaela.


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